SDG 12: Cutting Food Waste in Salad Processing
At ExtractaCore, we’re driving sustainable agritech innovation, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and U.S. initiatives like the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy. Our robotic vegetable de-coring machines, powered by Fanuc robots and 3D AI Vision, reduce salad processing waste by a minimum of 20% and significantly boost yields, supporting global and U.S. efforts to create a more sustainable food system.
The Food Waste Challenge in Salad Processing
Globally, over 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted annually, according to the FAO, with the U.S. alone losing 30–40% of its food supply, per the USDA. In salad processing, inefficient manual de-coring of leafy greens like Iceberg lettuce generates significant trim waste, costing processors thousands and straining resources.
This clashes with SDG 12’s goal of sustainable production and the U.S. National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, which aims to halve food waste by 2030.
Responsible Consumption and Production
aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.This means using resources efficiently, reducing waste, and minimizing environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of goods and services.
How ExtractaCore’s Technology Supports SDG 12 and U.S. Goals
ExtractaCore’s robotic de-coring machines address these challenges with precision automation, preserving more usable lettuce and reducing environmental impact. Here’s how we align with SDG 12 and U.S. sustainability efforts:
Cutting Waste by 20%: Our machines minimize trim loss, saving tons of lettuce annually in high-volume processing facilities. This supports SDG 12.3 and the U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions initiative, which encourages businesses to reduce waste.
Boosting Yields by 30%: By optimizing de-coring, we increase usable lettuce yield, ensuring more product reaches consumers and aligning with the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy’s focus on source reduction.
Reducing Energy Use: Our AI-driven systems use 15% less energy than manual methods, supporting SDG 12’s resource efficiency goals and the U.S.’s circular economy initiatives under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Scalable Solutions: ExtractaCore leverages partnerships with industry leaders to deliver sustainable automation to global salad processors.
Why SDG 12 and U.S. Initiatives Matter
SDG 12 and U.S. programs like the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste are critical for building a sustainable food future. In the U.S., food waste contributes to 22% of greenhouse gas emissions, per the EPA. By reducing waste and improving efficiency, ExtractaCore enables processors save up to $$$,000 annually while supporting food security and environmental goals in the U.S. and beyond.
Preventing wasted food
….. or source reduction, is the top tier of the Wasted Food Scale. Preventing food from going to waste by growing, buying, and preparing only what is needed saves grocery money and reduces the environmental impacts of wasted food. When food is wasted, all the resources that go into producing, processing, distributing, and preparing that food are wasted too.
Our Vision for Sustainable Agritech
ExtractaCore is committed to scaling our robotic solutions across U.S. and global food processing hubs. From supporting California’s SB 1383 organic waste reduction mandate to contributing to global SDG 12 targets, we’re driving a circular economy where every lettuce head counts.
Join the Fight Against Food Waste
Whether you’re a U.S. food processor or a global agritech innovator, we invite you to join us in reducing waste.
How is your organization tackling sustainability? Share your thoughts below or contact us to see how our robotic de-coring can transform your salad processing line.
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